Phalaenopsis orchid plant named &#39;PHALDRIBIP&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘PHALDRIBIP’, particularly characterized by having purple flowers, 1 to 2 peduncles, a peduncle that is long and moderate, leaves that are oblong and moderately elongated, and is propagated by tissue culture is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Phalaenopsis Hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘PHALDRIBIP’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofPhalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceaefamily, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PHALDRIBIP’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 60 species of herbaceousperennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable forcultivar in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantlyepiphytic or rock dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the MalayArchipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy,oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodialgrowth), which vary in size from 12 to 20 cm to over 60 cm. The leavesmay be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in thehorticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for theflorist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home orinteriorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes or panicles,often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning withthe lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; thelateral ones being alike. The lowermost petals, called the labellum, arethree-lobed and are often more brightly-colored than the other flowersegments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow,and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexualpropagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which arisefrom the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants aredetached from the mother plants and may be planted in a suitablesubstrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘PHALDRIBIP’ is particularly characterized by itsattractive and unique purple flowers, economical propagation by tissueculture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging andshipping to the market.

PHALDRIBIP' is a product of a planned breeding program conducted inBleiswijk, The Netherlands.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘PHALDRIBIP’ originated from a cross made inFebruary 2005 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The female parent is apurple Phalaenopsis pot plant named ‘00001-0383’ (unpatented), while themale parent is a purple Phalaenopsis pot plant named ‘21440-0002’(unpatented). A single plant was selected in May 2008 and has beenasexually reproduced repeatedly by meristem tissue culture in Bleiswijk,The Netherlands over a 3-year period. The new variety has been found toretain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexualpropagations.

Asexual reproduction of ‘PHALDRIBIP’ by tissue culture was firstperformed in December 2011 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands and hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar is firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have been applied for in Europeon Apr. 25, 2014. ‘PHALDRIBIP’ has not been made publicly available orsold anywhere in the world more than one year prior to the filing dateof this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands.

1) Purple flowers;

2) 1 to 2 peduncles;

3) Peduncle is long and moderate;

4) The shape of the leaf is oblong and moderately elongated; and

5) Plants are propagated by meristem tissue culture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Phalaenopsis plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the overall plant habit including blooms, budsand foliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can bereasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. Thephotographs are of a 50-week old plant grown in a greenhouse inBleiswijk, The Netherlands in November 2014.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms, buds and foliageof ‘PHALDRIBIP’.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of a flower of ‘PHALDRIBIP’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the leaves of ‘PHALDRIBIP’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘PHALDRIBIP’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inBleiswijk, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 50-week oldplants which were planted from tissue culture in 12 centimeter pots andgrown in a greenhouse between 27° C. to 29° C. for 30 weeks, continuedby a cooling period of 8 weeks between 18° C. to 20° C. and 12 weeks ina greenhouse of 21° C. Observations were made in November 2014. Colorreadings were taken under 4-6000 lux natural light in the greenhouse.Color references are primarily to The RHS Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Orchidaceae.        -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis Hybrid.        -   Common name.—Phalaenopsis.        -   Variety name.—‘PHALDRIBIP’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘00001-0383’            (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘21440-0002’            (unpatented).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Tissue culture.-   Plant:    -   -   Crop time (time to produce a finished flowering plant).—48            to 50 weeks for a 12 cm pot.        -   Growth habit of peduncle.—Standard, green leaves, raceme to            panicle.        -   Height (including pot, including inflorescence).—62.0 cm to            72.0 cm.        -   Width (measured from leaf tips).—25.0 cm to 30.0 cm.        -   Vigor.—Moderate.-   Roots:    -   -   Root description.—Grey-green-colored roots with lightly            branching lateral roots having grey-green colored root tips.-   Leaves:    -   -   Mature leaves.—Quantity per plant: 5 to 6 leaves are            produced before flowering Length (fully expanded): 20.0 cm            to 24.0 cm Width: 8.0 cm to 9.0 cm Shape: Oblong Base shape:            Moderately elongated Apex: Unequal obtuse Leaf blade angle            with the petiole: Between 25 degrees and 35 degrees Leaf            margin: Entire Color: Upper surface: RHS 147A Lower surface:            RHS 146A; margin of leaf is greyed-purple RHS 187A Texture:            Rough Thickness: 2.3 mm to 2.8 mm Venation: Pattern:            Parallel Color of the midvein: Upper surface: RHS 147A Lower            surface: RHS 187A.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—1 to 2.        -   Number of flowers per peduncle.—10 to 15.        -   Length.—68.0 cm to 73.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—5.3 mm to 5.8 mm.        -   Strength.—Moderate.        -   Aspect.—Upright.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Brown (RHS 200A).        -   Internode length.—40.0 mm to 50.0 mm.        -   Callosities.—None.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, raceme to panicle            inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open            in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height (from base to tip): 220.0 mm to            270.0 mm Diameter: 4.1 mm to 4.6 mm.        -   Flowering time.—First flowers can be expected 10 to 11            months after planting in a 12 cm pot.        -   Flower.—Height: 83.0 mm to 88.0 mm Diameter: 98.0 mm to 103            0 mm Depth of lip: 18.0 mm to 20.0 mm.        -   Flower longevity.—On the plant: 10 to 13 weeks.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Free Shape: Semi-circular Apex:            Emarginate and slightly asymmetric Margin: Entire Length            (from base to tip): 46.0 mm to 48.0 mm Width: 59.0 mm to            61.0 mm Color (when fully opened): Main color: Purple (RHS            78A) At the base: Purple (RHS 78A).        -   Dorsal sepal.—Shape: Elliptic broad Margin: Entire Length            (from base to tip): 48.0 mm to 50.0 mm Width: 38.0 mm to            40.0 mm Color (when fully opened): Main color: Purple (RHS            78A) At the base: Purple (RHS 78A).        -   Lateral sepals.—Shape: Ovate broad Margin: Entire Length            (from base to tip): 48.0 mm to 50 0 mm Width: 36.0 mm to            38.0 mm Color (when fully opened): Main color: Purple (RHS            78A), slightly dotted towards the center At the base: Purple            (RHS 78A), slightly dotted towards the center.        -   Labellum (lip).—Margin: Entire Length: 19.0 mm to 21 0 mm            Width: 20.0 mm to 22.0 mm Whiskers: Present Length of            whiskers: Medium; 11.0 mm.        -   Lateral lobe.—Shape: Type V (as described in the            International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of            Plants (UPOV) Test Guidelines for Phalaenopsis) Color:            Red-purple (RHS 59A and 61A and 71A).        -   Apical lobe.—Shape: Triangular Color: Red-purple (RHS 71A),            yellow towards the callus.        -   Callus.—Color: Yellow (RHS 13A) dotted with RHS 59A.        -   Pedicel.—Length: 33.0 mm to 35.0 mm Diameter: 3.0 mm to 3.2            mm.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a            single, short structure called the column, possessing one            terminal anther with pollen grains united into pollinia,            which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located            under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior            with three carpels present.        -   Column.—Length: 10.0 mm to 12.0 mm Diameter: 6.5 mm to 6.9            mm Color: Purple (RHS 78A).        -   Pollinia.—Quantity: 2 Size: 1.1 mm to 1.3 mm Color: Orange            (RHS 26A).        -   Ovary.—Length: 12.0 mm to 14.0 mm Diameter: 2.6 mm to 2.8            mm.-   Disease, pest, and stress resistance: No specific resistance or    susceptibility observed-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of 15° C. and a    high temperature about 30° C.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL VARIETIES

‘PHALDRIBIP’ differs from female parent ‘00001-0383’ (unpatented) inthat ‘PHALDRIBIP’ has a red-purple lip and red-purple whiskers of thelip, whereas ‘00001-0383’ has a lip that is lighter colored(white/lilac/yellow/greyed-purple) and light purple whiskers of the lip.Additionally, ‘PHALDRIBIP’ has an unequal obtuse leaf apex, whereas‘00001-0383’ has an unequal acute leaf apex.

‘PHALDRIBIP’ differs from male parent ‘21440-0002’ (unpatented) in that‘PHALDRIBIP’ has a larger flower and a brown peduncle, whereas‘21440-0002’ has a smaller flower and a green-brown peduncle.Additionally, ‘PHALDRIBIP’ has leaves with a greyed-purple margin,whereas ‘21440-0002’ does not have leaves with a greyed-purple margin.

‘PHALDRIBIP’ differs from commercial variety ‘PHALBATZOM’ (unpatented)in that ‘PHALDRIBIP’ has larger flowers with petals that are free,whereas ‘PHALBATZOM’ has smaller flowers with petals that are touching.Additionally, ‘PHALDRIBIP’ has a greyed-purple leaf margin, whereas‘PHALBATZOM’ has a green leaf margin.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Phalaenopsis plant named‘PHALDRIBIP’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.